


£1.50/Minute

by gryffindorJ



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dirty Talk, Frottage, Humor, Kissing, M/M, spag bol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-27
Updated: 2013-05-27
Packaged: 2017-12-13 03:56:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/819705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffindorJ/pseuds/gryffindorJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's tired and hungry, and all he wants to do is order some dinner. This turns out to be a bigger deal than he anticipated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	£1.50/Minute

Harry's legs felt like lead as he climbed the stairs of his building. He wouldn't have thought that Auror training would be this physically demanding three years in. A week ago Harry had started his fourth level of hand-to-hand combat training and if he was never tripped, punched, tackled, gouged, or thrown around like a rag doll ever again, it would be too soon. Harry had been partnered with Cho. He was glad to have a partner who gave him a challenge but it would have been nice to have one who didn't both resent him so much and have third degree black belts in five different martial arts disciplines. 

He finally reached the top of the stairs and saw his door. It was, once again, littered with takeaway menus. Ron had warned him that living in a Muggle building would have its drawbacks but Harry couldn't reckon what they could be at the time. Harry had only been able to think about how being just another person who lived in the building would be so much more desirable than being The Famous Harry Potter in a wizarding building. 

Harry groaned as he bent over to retrieve the menus. He could put a repelling charm on his door. That would help. He was too tired to be arsed about it now. He was even too tired to pretend he needed keys. He checked over his shoulder to make sure that no one was around, touched his wand and the door clicked and swung open. 

He stumbled to the couch and flopped down on it. 

God, he just wanted to go to sleep. Maybe a drink first. That sounded good. He could Summon the bottle of whisky he had stored somewhere. Harry's stomach growled loudly in protest. Right, he'd have to eat first before he did either of those other things. 

Harry thought wistfully of the chicken casserole he had eaten last night. Unfortunately he'd eaten the whole thing. He didn't think he had anything in the place other than half a loaf of bread. He was exhausted but he wanted a warm, comforting meal. 

At that moment his eyes fell on the stack of menus he had dropped on the table on his way to the couch. Yes. That was it. He'd have some food delivered right here to him. That was brilliant. 

He leaned forward to grab the stack of menus and the small movement made his back twinge. He leaned back with the stack in hand and riffled through them to see which one was most appealing. 

Curry, no, sandwiches, no, pizza, maybe, sushi, gross, Italian, yes. A big plate of pasta sounded like exactly what he needed. Harry reached to the table and grabbed the telephone. He hardly used it and Ron had taken the piss when he’d had it put in. Harry had grown up with one and a home seemed odd without it. 

Harry dialled the number and waited a long time before anyone picked up. Shit. It was one of those automated systems. What was so wrong with talking to someone on the phone? 

A few years ago Harry had received a notice that some bonds were mature and he could redeem the money. Apparently Sirius' Uncle Alphard thought it was funny to invest in Muggle ventures, and Sirius had neglected in his will to mention Harry was now the recipient of those ventures. Harry had spent hours trying to weave through automated systems to find out more information. Harry didn't get anywhere until Hermione told him to keep pressing zero till he got a real person. 

Harry figured it had worked that time so he should do it again. He hit zero. No, still automated. He did it again and again, and someone finally picked up. 

"Yes, hello. I'd like -" 

"What you would like is of no consequence now. You're a dirty, nasty, filthy boy who needs to be taught the error of his ways. You are here now because it is what I would like that matters." 

"What? Hello?"

"Take off your trousers, but leave your pants on. I like to see the outline of your big, heavy, hard cock –" 

The receiver practically jumped out of Harry's hand as he hurried to hang up the phone. The bell clanged on the phone as Harry slammed the receiver down. 

That was definitely not an Italian resturaunt. And that voice. There was no way it was him. 

– – –

 

Harry leafed through the menus again. He hadn't tried to order out since last week when he dialled the wrong number. But he was dead tired, again, and since he'd eaten the last of the actual food in his flat he'd have to call, again. Well, it was either that or go to the market and he was absolutely too tired for that.

He settled on kebabs. Nice, safe, simple kebabs. He grabbed the phone and carefully dialled the number. It rang three times before anyone picked up. Again it was a bleeding automated system. Harry hit zero over and over until a real person finally picked up. 

Harry didn't get a word in this time, the person on the other end started in immediately. "Trousers down and over my knee. You'll take your punishment like the dirty boy you are." 

He slammed the phone down. That was not expected, at all. Once was a mistake, but twice? And it sounded exactly like Severus, again. But Severus would never do that. The man was smart and a talented wizard. Working a Muggle phone sex operation was not the sort of thing he would do, ever. 

The problem was Severus' voice was quite distinct. It wasn't like Charlie and Bill who sounded alike. You did not get Severus confused with anyone else. Harry had been in trouble with Severus enough times as a boy that he knew exactly how he sounded when you crossed the line. 

This was impossible. It couldn't be. Harry had seen a lot of things in his life that no one would ever imagine happening. But using an unbeatable wand or The Resurrection Stone were not the same as Severus working the sex trade. Severus doing that was completely mental and beyond the realm of possibility. 

Harry had seen Severus not more than two weeks ago. They had had lunch together. Severus' healing process had been a long slow process and he was finally at the point where he felt ready to go back to work. Harry had assumed he'd return to Hogwarts. McGonagall had been holding a job for him upon recovery. 

Severus had told Harry that no, he didn't want to teach, that this was his second chance. Spending his life in the castle dealing with dunderheaded teenagers was not how he wanted to use his freedom. He had mentioned starting his own business, perhaps a potions one, or working at Saint Mungo's. 

If he had decided on his own business, he would need start up money. Harry knew from Fred and George that could take a pile of Galleons. Severus didn't have very much. Not that he had ever said anything to Harry about it, but Harry knew there was no way he could have enough to start his own business from scratch. 

If Severus needed money then Harry wouldn't think twice about giving it to him. There was also no way that Severus would ever take it, let alone say he needed it. 

Well, if that was the case, then Harry would give him the money any way he could. Harry picked up the phone and dialled again. Honestly, there was no way it was actually Severus. If Harry got him on the line and it was indeed him, Harry wouldn't hang up. He was helping Severus, after all. 

As the automated answering system came on, Harry almost pounded zero straight away, but he paused. He wanted to hear exactly what the options were that led you to where he had ended up. 

"Hello, and welcome to Secret Seductions," said a woman with a deep, sultry voice. Harry had to admit, despite the pitch of her voice not really being his thing, it did sound alluring. "So we may best suit your needs, please answer a few simple questions. If you are eighteen or older please press zero now. If you are younger than eighteen, you may call back when you've reached the appropriate age, you bad boy."

Harry pressed zero. The woman's voice continued. "Welcome. Please listen to all menu options first before choosing your pleasure. Press one for a partner eighteen to twenty-five. Press two for twenty-six to thirty-five. For thirty-six to forty-five press zero. Three for forty-six to fifty-five. Fifty-six to sixty -five press four. And for a naughty senior please press five."

Harry did not want to think about people like Professor Slughorn calling this place, so he quickly pressed zero to get that image out of his mind. As the phone caught up to his choice, he added in his head. Right, Severus was twenty years older give or take. 

"Thank you," the woman's voice said. "Please press one for a female companion or zero for a male. For an additional surcharge you can press two for two women, three for two men, four for one of each, or five for a gang-bang." 

Harry pressed zero and waited. "Thank you. You're almost there. Are you excited and hard already? Only one more selection to go. For general moans, heavy breathing and squeals of delight press one, for moans of pain and pleasure press two, for good spanking press three –" Hadn't there been something said about spanking? Maybe Harry should press three. No, he'd always hit zero. "–for talk of your big, monster cock press four, for a regency gentleman press five, for your father press six, for goat, sheep, dog, or general animal sounds press seven –" Harry pulled the receiver away and stared at it. There were people into that? Wow. "– for only heavy breathing press nine, or for discipline and detention from a sharp, cutting professor press zero." 

Harry snorted and hit zero. That was a perfect fit for Severus. He could probably talk about detention in his sleep. 

There was a click on the other end and Harry felt his body tighten in anticipation. "I hope you don't think lines will be sufficient for your violation. I have plans for you tonight. Hard, backbreaking plans," the voice on the other end said. Harry couldn't answer him, not with his own voice. He pointed his wand at his throat and used a quick voice modification charm he'd learned in training. 

"Sir, I don't think –" What Harry thought, he never said, because the voice that came out was the deepest voice he'd ever heard in his entire life. Absurdly deep. He could still feel the bass of it vibrating in his throat as he winced at himself. His nerves had made his charm work shoddy. 

Severus – it had to be him; it was his voice, his inflections – didn't hesitate to reply and said, "I don't care what you think. You're here to do my bidding, what I want, for my pleasure." 

"Your pleasure?" 

"Sir. Your pleasure, sir. You will mind your tongue or I will quickly put it to better use." 

Harry laughed to himself. This was a game he could play, a role he could slip into. "My tongue? Is that all I need to mind? You'll take care of the rest?" 

"Your tongue is mine, along with your mouth, and your arse. Undress slowly. First your tie." Snape paused, waiting. Harry could imagine the whisper of silk as he unknotted a tie. "Your trousers." 

"My trousers?" Harry said. It didn't seem the natural progression. He thought his shirt should come next. 

"Yes, your trousers, boy. Then it will be your pants. Your shirt will remain on. I like to see the way the tail brushes across your arse. I like to imagine my fingers ghosting across your flesh the same way the shirt does. The shirt will remind you of my touch." 

Harry's felt his cock harden immediately. He could imagine, with perfect clarity, how a shirt felt grazing the top of his arse and that meant he could imagine perfectly Severus' touch. Merlin, that sounded good and even better would be that touch on his cock, and touches that slowly grew stronger and firmer. 

Harry swallowed hard, frantically searching his mind for something to say. He could hear Severus' soft, even breaths on the other end, waiting for him to reply. He couldn't think of anything. All the blood had left his head and was firmly in his crotch.

Harry did the only thing he could get his body to do. He slammed the phone down and frantically ripped open his trousers. 

– – –

 

The next day when Harry trudged up the stairs to his door he noticed, yet again, the door mat was littered with menus. For the first time Harry noticed something else. His was the only doorstep with menus. Neither of his two neighbours on the floor had menus at their doors. Perhaps they had already picked them up? 

But no, that couldn't be. Ms 218 worked later than he did. Harry continued up the stairs to the third floor, the fourth, the fifth, and all the way to the top. There wasn't a single other door with menus left in front of it. 

Harry ran back down to his door, snatched up all the menus, went inside and grabbed all the ones he had saved and Disapparated, his arms laden with takeaway menus. 

– – –

 

The sharp knock on his door came much earlier than Harry liked on a Sunday. The clock on the mantle read half six. It was his only day off and he didn't like getting out of bed at any hour before ten. Only a few people he knew would be up at this hour. Although, honestly, he would have known from the precise tone of the knock.

His hand went automatically to his hair, fruitlessly trying to straighten it. Nothing he could do about it now, or ever, so he opened the door. 

Severus didn't spare Harry a look. He stepped smartly into Harry's flat and only turned to face Harry after Harry shut the door. 

"I don't appreciate you littering on my doorstep," Severus said as he reached into his cloak and pulled out a large, neatly tied stack of menus. He dropped them pointedly on the coffee table. The string snapped and menus slid and scattered everywhere. 

"How do you know it was me?" Harry said crossing his arms. Severus only looked at him in reply. Right. Severus wouldn't come here unless he had evidence it was indeed him. "Since I don't need them, I thought you'd want them back," Harry said, trying for a casual tone. 

"I live in a small village in the country for a reason. I don't need rubbish like this on my doorstep. The Muggle mail is bad enough." 

"Because I live in a flat doesn't mean I need that rubbish on my doorstep any more than you do. So why did you leave them here?" 

"Why do you keep saying I'm the one leaving you these menus? You assume my prospects are so dim I need to pick up a shift at –" Severus plucked a menu at random "– Kirk's Kebab Kingdom?" 

"No. It's just I'm the only one in the building getting them and I happen to be the only wizard in the building. And any time I call to order food it's you who picks up." Harry felt a little stupid saying that. He was trying once again to believe it was really Severus answering the phone and talking that way. His voice was so distinct, Harry kept telling himself. It couldn't be anyone else. 

"You're training to be an Auror. You've no doubt learned to modify your voice." 

"Right but –"

"If you thought it was me why didn't you ask when you ordered?" 

Harry huffed. "Because none of those numbers reach the place they're supposed to." 

"So not only do I work at 'Pide Piper's Pizza' – that's misspelled by the way, it's P-I-E-D – but I deliver misprinted menus." Severus was being so calm and logical about this, looking at Harry as if he was a great big idiot. It was beginning to be annoying. 

He knew it was Severus and Severus was not going to talk him out of it. He would prove he knew it was Severus. "You're a dirty, nasty, filthy boy who needs to be taught the error of his ways," Harry said, trying to match the deep, seductive tone Severus had used. Severus' face flushed instantly and his mouth fell open. Dread and shock went through Harry. Perhaps it was a voice modification charm and the person on the other end had gone to Hogwarts and had Severus as a professor. And maybe they knew full well he had the perfect detention voice. 

Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Was all Harry could think. He couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't look at Severus. "I'll go get us some tea," Harry said. He walked swiftly to the kitchen. 

He busied himself getting out cups, a pot, bags, and tried to retrace why exactly he thought it was Severus. It wasn't only the voice. Anyone could modify a voice, but talking exactly like someone was a skill. There was delivery, word choice, and cadence. The more Harry thought about it the more convinced he became that he was right. It had to be Severus. No one could pull off an impression like that for a phone sex line. 

Harry threw everything onto a tea tray and walked out of the kitchen. Severus had taken off his cloak and was standing looking out the window. Harry noticed he was wearing simple grey trousers instead of robes. His shirt was tucked in, showing off his waist, which was silently beckoning Harry to come put his hand on it. 

Harry paused and tried to decide if he really wanted to do what he was about to do. He and Severus had really become friends in the past year. It wasn't an easy friendship. It had taken a few years to get to the point where Harry would call it that. He respected Severus, a lot, which all things considered, wasn't a great surprise. What had been a surprise was how much he liked Severus. He looked forward to seeing him, enjoyed their time together. It had been so infrequent lately that he had started to miss Severus. It was one of the things Harry hated about being an Auror. He hardly had time to breathe, let alone cultivate a friendship. 

Severus turned from the window and he slid his hands into his pockets. His eyes met Harry's. They looked at each other in silence. Severus' lips twitched in a hint of a smile. Harry smiled back and a twinge of guilt went through him for what he was about to do. 

"Shall we?" Harry said carrying the tea tray to the table and setting it down amongst the menus. "Sorry, I only have tea." 

Severus took a seat next to Harry on the sofa as Harry poured each of them a cup. 

"It's fine," Severus said as Harry reached to put milk in both. "It's fine. I know you're busy," Severus replied, the back of his hand brushing Harry's as he reached to put sugar in his tea. 

"Can only find time in my day to sleep and sometimes not even then," Harry said. "Don't know if I'll ever have time to go to the market so I have food in my house. I thought it would all calm down after a bit." 

"You are rather busy," Severus said, more into his cup than to Harry. "I think this is the first time I've seen you in almost a month. The other day I considered for half second I may have become fond of seeing you on rare occasions." 

Harry chortled. That was a glowing compliment from Severus. "Sorry about that," Harry said, and he truly was. 

Severus shrugged and said, "To be expected I suppose." 

Harry saw Severus look at him out of the corner of his eyes and butterflies filled his stomach as those dark eyes studied him. 

Right. Harry was going to move this forward. "You know what? I'm famished. I bet one of these menus delivers breakfast." Harry sorted through the pile. 

He felt Severus stiffen next to him. Severus said, "Harry, those all look to be curry menus and I am not eating tandoori chicken this early in the day." 

"No, there has to be more than that. I thought I saw—" 

Harry pushed all the menus around until he spotted it. "Yes, this one. Gino's Ristorante and Italian Bakery. At the least we can get some biscotti from them and that's better than nothing."

Severus' face went blank and he said flatly, "I'm not hungry." 

"But I am. I'll call. It won't be a problem." Harry didn't even get the chance to try to stand before Severus' hand was on his knee gripping him. Harry looked down to where Severus was touching him and then to Severus' face. 

"You said the numbers were incorrect. Perhaps your phone is broken. I saw a cafe down the street. Let's go there." 

"No, that place is crap." Harry stood from the couch and Severus wrenched his arm, pulling him back down. 

"Don't call."

"You're being ridiculous," Harry said with a laugh. 

"You're the one being ridiculous. I, your guest, said I wasn't hungry. Give me the menu," Severus moved to snatch the paper from Harry's hand but Harry was faster and pulled it away.

"You brought them back to me. You didn't want them," Harry said, holding the menu out of Severus' reach. Severus clamped his other hand on Harry's empty one and lurched, trying to grab for the menu. Harry fell back against the arm of the sofa in his effort to keep it out of Severus' reach. Severus fell on top of him, banging their chests together and practically knocking their heads. Severus was breathing heavily and he looked at Harry, annoyed, as they stilled in this position. 

Harry whispered to him, "Remind me who's ridiculous." 

Severus glared and said, "Don't call. You don't need to." 

"Tell me why you did it and I won't call," Harry replied. 

Severus pressed his lips firmly together and kept silent. Harry didn't mind him this close. It was rather nice. The warm body on his and Severus' breath tracing down his throat was making Harry's cock take notice. This was made worse because he was only in thin pyjama bottoms that would do nothing to conceal his cock's inconveniently timed interest. 

Severus seemed to sense Harry's disquiet and sat up, moving off of Harry. "I am not telling you anything," Severus said stiffly.

Harry stood from the sofa and went to the phone. "Tell me why I shouldn't call." 

Severus looked at Harry steadily and said, "Har -- Potter. We shouldn't do this. It's not a good idea –" 

"Then why did you talk to me on the phone that way?" Harry demanded. 

"I don't recall anyone holding a wand to your head making you order takeaway," Severus snapped back. 

Harry reached for the phone cord and wrapped it around his hand as he said, "This is your one chance to tell me, because I'm not calling back!" He pulled the phone cord from the wall so sharply that pieces of the outlet came flying out with it. 

Severus sat staring at Harry with the mangled ripped cord in one hand and the crumpled menu in the other. Harry's jaw tightened with anger. Standing up and shouting had done nothing but make his erection bigger and extremely apparent. 

Severus' eyes flicked over the front of his trousers and then he looked back into Harry's eyes. He stood abruptly from the sofa, stepped to Harry, and pulled him into his arms. 

Harry closed the rest of the distance between them and pressed his lips to Severus'. The kiss was deep and passionate, everything Harry had imagined it should be. 

When they finally broke apart, Severus pressed his thigh to Harry's cock and said, "This is what shouting does to you?" 

"No," Harry said rocking his hips to Severus' leg. "It's what you do to me." 

Harry slid his hand to the back of Severus' head, threading his fingers through Severus' soft, fine hair and pulled him in for another kiss. Severus' tongue slid across his lips and Harry opened his mouth inviting it in. Severus groaned and twisted his hands in Harry's t-shirt pulling him in tight. 

Severus ran his hands under Harry's shirt. He moaned against Severus' tongue at his touch on his skin. Severus pulled away and said, "What I do to you? Or the voice you heard?" 

Severus moved to kiss Harry again but Harry moved his head away. "It was nice, good, not really my thing, though. I've been in detention enough to know how it goes." 

Severus moved his mouth to Harry's neck and kissed a path down his throat. "What is your thing then?" he whispered. Severus moved his hands around to Harry's back and down to his arse and firmly grasped it. 

"So far you're doing alright," Harry replied as he moved his hands to Severus' shirt. He wanted to feel the heat of Severus' body on his fingertips. 

"Kissing and touching?" Severus flicked his tongue across Harry's collarbone. "That's all?" 

"No. But we'll figure it out." Severus straightened up and they looked at one another. Harry could feel the electricity in the air between them. As if on cue, their bodies slammed together and they pulled at each other's clothes manically. 

It wasn't at all how Harry had pictured their first time. He'd pictured many variations of their first time, but all of them had featured a slow, steady build up to a climax with Severus shuddering and coming beneath him. 

In hindsight, he realized that they had been circling each other for long enough, years even, and that was more then enough build up. 

He pulled at Severus' shirt, so hard that he sent buttons scattering, but at least Severus' shirt was mostly intact. He had pulled Harry's old t-shirt over his head so aggressively that Harry had heard a ripping sound as it went past his ears. 

Severus grinned devilishly at Harry's exposed chest and stomach. Maybe all those arse kickings from Cho had been worth it. He had to admit he was fitter than he'd ever been. 

Severus ran his hands down the sides of Harry's body and Harry pulled his pyjama bottoms off and kicked them away. He reached for Severus' trousers, the back of his cock rubbing against them as he pulled Severus' flies open. Harry's moaned at the feel on his cock. Severus rocked his hips toward Harry, pressing on his cock again before Harry could pull his trousers off. 

Harry's body wanted him to force Severus to the ground and rub against his leg until they both came, but what he really wanted was Severus naked. He wanted to feel his cock in his hand. He pulled Severus' trousers and pants away in one and was delighted to see Severus was as hard and ready to go as he was. Harry wrapped his hand around Severus' cock and slowly stroked him. Severus thrust into Harry's touch. 

Harry ran his hand up and down Severus' cock again and on his upstroke, pulled back Severus' foreskin. He brushed his thumb against the tip, gathering up the small amount of precome there. He put his thumb in his mouth and hummed around the taste of it. 

"Fuck me," Severus said and pulled Harry to the couch. 

He held Harry tightly by the hair with one hand and firmly by the arse with the other as he spread his legs, letting Harry settle between them. They kissed eagerly, tongues sliding past each other and teeth catching lips. 

Harry moved his hips just so and ground his cock against Severus'. Severus thrust back against him in reply. Harry slid his hand to Severus' back and pressed their bodies firmly together. 

They rocked together, moving faster. Severus hooked one leg around Harry's thigh and thrust harder. Harry put his whole weight into every thrust, meeting Severus' body again and again. The feel of Severus' cock fucking his own urging him to move faster, do it more until he felt his orgasm tear through his body. 

He cried out as he came, pulsing and coming on Severus. Severus didn't stop moving and the continued friction made Harry feel like he would pass out from the intensity. Finally, Severus stilled and let out a long, low, groan. Harry felt Severus' cock against his and their come mixing from their bellies to their balls. 

Harry collapsed on Severus. He held his breath for a moment, worried about the awkwardness he thought would come. Then Severus wrapped his arms around Harry, holding him against his body. Harry's face was tucked in between the back of the sofa and the side of Severus' head. He felt the words he wanted to say bubble up in his throat. He didn't think he could ever say them, but it would surely be easier without looking at Severus' face. Then, right there, Harry realized why the phone could be nice. You could say, do, try things that were difficult or potentially embarrassing with that wall of protection between you. 

If Harry had only called once, or never called at all, or completely rejected the insane idea that that voice really was Severus, Severus could have gone on pretending that everything was the same as usual. Harry rolled his eyes. After all this time, Severus was still afraid of what Harry could or couldn't do to him. 

Severus sighed and said, "Out with it. I can tell you want to say something." 

"Glad you came over. That's all." 

"You didn't have to leave rubbish at my door to get me to come over." 

"Know exactly how you feel." 

"No idea what you're talking about," Severus replied as he tightened his arms around Harry. 

– – –

 

Harry's entire body ached, again, as he lumbered up the stairs. He hadn't had his arse kicked today but rather he'd sat for nine bloody hours in a hard, uncomfortable chair as he and one hundred other Ministry employees endured "Sensitivity Training." Compared to that, Harry would take a beating by Cho any day. That was usually over within seconds, at least. 

As he stepped to his door he noted it was completely devoid of menus. It made him a little sad. He'd half hoped he'd get one. He'd love any excuse to call Severus or, as Severus claimed, the person imitating him for profit. They hadn't seen each other since that morning, two days ago, as Harry was still busier than he could handle. Maybe he could bolt his food and Floo over to Severus'. He didn't want this to fade. He liked the intensity. 

Harry didn't bother with his wand or keys. He simply unlocked the door with touch and pushed it open. 

The door had hardly clicked shut when there was a knock. He turned around and opened it. Severus stood in the corridor holding two bags full of take away. 

"You're home," Severus said.

"You're here," Harry replied with a smile. He stepped back and beckoned Severus inside. 

Severus placed the carriers on the table and said, "I hope you don't mind sushi." Harry's feelings about sushi must have been apparent in his expression because Severus quickly added, "I see that you do. That's OK because I brought sandwiches." 

"Sandwiches?" 

"Paninis, to be exact." 

"Those are awfully full carriers for some sandwiches," Harry said as he removed his cloak and threw it in the general direction of the hooks by the door. 

"I brought you some more food so you won't have to manufacture reasons to call for take away." Severus' gaze flicked over Harry in his Auror waistcoat and fitted trousers. He must have liked what he saw because his expression remained neutral. He busied himself taking food out of the bag as Harry stepped towards him. 

"I don't manufacture reasons to call anyone. The reasons present themselves quite readily on my doorstep." 

Severus reached in the bag and pulled out two containers. "Caprese or ham?" 

"Some of each?" Harry asked hopefully. 

Severus' eyes narrowed. He paused for a second and then opened the containers and traded half of each panini. "Should we eat at the table like adults?" 

"I use it to fold my laundry. It's covered in clean socks and pants." 

With what looked like a huge amount of forbearance, Severus carried the containers to the sofa without comment. Harry sat down next to him and saw that Severus was staring at the phone and the cord which was still pulled out of the wall. "You didn't fix that yet?" Severus asked. 

"Nah," Harry said, reaching for his sandwich. "I don't need the phone anymore." 

Severus kept his eyes steadily on his food and replied, "Right. I think I'm done with it too."


End file.
